Bellanca 7KCAB N86705 accident near Manteo, North Carolina

Probable cause

The inadvertent lodging of the banner-tow cable between the right elevator and horizontal stabilizer after the pilot threw the grapple hook out the window, which resulted in the loss of pitch control and the airplane’s subsequent impact with water.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot was conducting a banner-tow operation. A witness reported that, after the airplane departed, the pilot threw the grapple hook out the window and that the hook then "whipped" down and then up and that the cable then became lodged between the right elevator and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot then picked up the banner, and, as the load imparted to the cable by the banner increased, the cable pulled taught until the grappling hook cable became lodged between the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that the elevator then became stuck in the nose-down position, which resulted in her inability to further control the airplane's pitch. The airplane then descended and impacted water left of the runway.

A postaccident examination of the airplane confirmed that the banner-tow cable had become lodged between the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. When the cable was removed, control continuity to the flight control surfaces was confirmed.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA15LA358 for the full record.